1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to technology for promoting communication between users connected to a network.
A chat system in the present invention is a system structured to include a plurality of chat devices. Each chat device is connected to a network and can share a virtual chat space configured on the network. Chat devices can send and receive text messages among themselves in real time.
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is one type of chat system structured on IRC protocol (RFC1459). IRC comprises IRC servers and IRC clients connected on the Internet. IRC clients share a virtual space known as a channel, and can send and receive text messages in real time. An IRC server broadcasts messages from an IRC client to other IRC clients in the same channel. In IRC, each IRC client is uniquely specified using an identifier known as a nickname. Each channel is given a channel name and topic. A channel name is channel identifier that uniquely identifies channel. The topic gives a summary of the chat contents in the channel.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet has expanded rapidly, detonated by WWW (World Wide Web). In the last few years, user interest has continued to shift from simple web page viewing to inter-user communication using the Internet. The classic example of a communication tool that has been spreading rapidly lately is IRC. There are tens of thousands of channels in IRC, so a user selects and participates in channels that interest him or her. At present, the only resources available to a user to determine channel characteristics when selecting are the channel name and topic.
When a channel is created, a name is chosen for the channel that suits the issues expected to be discussed. However, if those issues change after the channel is created, the set channel name seldom changes to suit the issues. In addition, the contents or issues discussed on a channel can be set as the topic, but this too is usually not changed when the issues change. The chat contents in a channel often undergo dynamic change. However, since the channel name or topic does not usually change, the name or topic does not always match the chat contents. Consequently, the chatting often differs radically from user expectations. Therefore, a user must participate in channels one by one and view the chat contents. Consequently, searching for a suitable channel can be quite time consuming. Furthermore, sensitive issues such as minors participating in and viewing messages from explicitly sexual channels can result.
One method that has been considered is to analyze the chat contents of a channel at the server side, decide the channel characteristics, and notify the user. However, with current natural language processing technology it is difficult to analyze conversation and determine its characteristics. Even if it were possible, the cost of computer resources would be prohibitive. Furthermore, providing systems to users around the world who participate in IRC with this type of technology is not practical.
Currently, conventional chat systems including chat systems on the Internet such as IRC, etc., URLs (Uniform Resource Locator, RFC1738) frequently appear. If chatting increases after a URL is said, it would seem that the URL that was introduced is appropriate for the channel characteristics. Conversely, if the user that said the URL is kicked off the channel, it would appear that the URL was not suited for the channel.
As the Internet expands, access control services for web pages offered by WWW servers and all sorts of web page information retrieval services are being developed and provided. While performing these services, URLs are classified in specific categories. For example, various types of URL databases have been provided, ranging from directory service databases such as Yahoo, etc., to PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection). As a result, URLs are being used as an index to indicate category.
The object of the present invention is to provide technology for encouraging communication between users, suitable for systems used by many users, easily able to detect changes in the content of chatting performed in a chat system, able to appropriately indicate chat contents to users, and ease selection of a virtual space in a chat system.